When our hysterics subsided, Jemma gently placed her hand on my thigh. ‘I promise I wasn’t laughing at you. What she did was horrendous. It’s just that the thought of her in a doggy gimp outfit is…’ Then we were both off again.

‘Christ, I needed that,’ I said when we finally calmed down. ‘I’ve barely laughed since Nikki died. I certainly haven’t laughed like that. Thank you.’

‘Thank you for sharing your shaggy dog tale with me,’ Jemma said, wiping her eyes.

‘Stop it!’ But we were both off again. My head hurt, my stomach was in agony, but I felt like I’d taken another massive step forward. I’d finally laughed – the proper side-aching sort – and I’d found humour in the Kirsty situation when I’d previously only felt bitterness towards her. Jemma had definitely come into my life for a reason.

We travelled in contented silence for a while.

I glanced at Jemma, gazing out the window as we crawled along in the slow lane up a slight incline. ‘What made you ask me about Kirsty? Was it because of what happened with Scott?’

She twisted in her seat to face me again. ‘Kirsty was unfaithful and you stood your ground, refusing to take her back. Scott was unfaithful and I was so weak that I took him back the minute he apologised.’

I knew I’d put my foot in it. Idiot! ‘It was different for the two of you.’

‘How was it different? It’s still discovering that someone that you love is having sex with someone else.’

I shrugged. It just seemed so different. ‘He loved you. He was going to leave his wife for you. Kirsty wasn’t planning on leaving me and, if she loved me, she had a funny way of showing it. She wanted to have her cake and eat it.’

Jemma’s shoulders slumped. ‘Yeah, but he didn’t leave Fiona in the end, did he? What if he was just like Kirsty and wanted to have his cake and eat it? The only difference is that he was unfaithful with one person instead of a string of them. Or at least I assume there was only me. I should have been strong. I should have told him to get lost.’

She grabbed a wine gum and shoved it in her mouth then groaned. ‘Green. Ew! I thought it was black. If I can’t pick the right bloody wine gum, I’ve got no chance with picking the right bloke, have I?’